Why do I do this?

[asterix.9614]

So basically I try to get the new rng item from the black lion chest nearly all the time. I need to completely stop doing this, how do I stop myself? Just wasted £70 and 200 gold buying black lion keys to try to get the watchwork wings and I ended up with a fuck ton of crap and 1 shifting sand staff and NO watchwork wings. I have spent hundred of pounds doing this before for other rng items that I don't even end up using :s Anyway help me please! How do you stop yourself?

[crepuscular.9047]

call up your banks and tell them you want to close all your bank and credit card accounts, cant pay anet if you cant access your bank / credit cards

[Justine.6351]

Quit your job so you don't have any money to spend, or

Just stop buying gems.

[asterix.9614]

But how would I pay my mortgage, le how? Anyway maybe I should do a teapot and go play wow classic, cheaper to pay monthly then go on my mini gambling addiction. hmm

[asterix.9614]

Anyway my mini gambling addiction isn't making me homeless or anything, but rng is beyond shit atm for blc. As a person who has bought blc keys for a looooong ass time they have definitely decreased the drop rate by soooooo much, used to be 5 to 6 keys to get the new rng item :s

[Ashantara.8731]

Each time you feel the urge to gamble, just ask yourself: "Do I really need this skin/item?" Because in most cases you don't, you won't ever use it, it's a waste to even try.

[Tinker.6924]

@"asterix.9614" said:How do you stop yourself?

That's not the question you should be asking.You should be asking yourself, "how do I stop?"

This is obviously affecting you negatively and you clearly know that Buying Black lion chests with real money to get 1 thing is gambling and not smart gambling.

Look in the mirror. Admit you have a problem that's bigger than you. And go see a therapist.

And stop playing Gw2 and any other games you buy stuff like this until can approach it responsibly.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

The business purpose of loot box mechanics is to get consumers to spend way more for a desired item than those consumers would spend if the item had a set price. This says that these companies are setting the value of those items way too high for what they are. It also says that these companies know this to be so, or they would just set the item at their desired price. Instead, they use the "hope" inherent in the thought that, "I'll get lucky!" coupled with the binge spending behavior inherent in falling for the gambler's fallacy and/or the sunk-cost fallacy. I believe this practice is deceptive, so I will not support it.

To find out if you're like me, ask yourself, "Would I have bought these wings if they had been priced straight up at £70? If the answer is, "No." then you as a consumer have an idea how much you're willing to spend on an item. The next time you're tempted, tell yourself that there is no guarantee you will get the item at any price, much less a price you'd find fair. That might allow you to see through the illusion to the reality and say no.

[Mewcifer.5198]

Give yourself a set limit for how many keys you will buy. Do not ever let yourself go over that limit. If you find that you can't stop yourself after buying some then you need to stop buying them entirely. As someone who feels the draw of gambling, its the best advice I can give.

[Gop.8713]

I just never use rl money for anything in the game, bc I feel like if I ever did it would be a slippery slope . . .

[Ashantara.8731]

@"EmmetOtter.8542" said:And stop playing Gw2 and any other games you buy stuff like this until can approach it responsibly.

Gambling cannot be "approached responsibly." It's always deception based on sheer luck and manipulated chances. Many people have problems these days as life is getting more difficult on so many levels, and they seek refuge from reality in games/gambling, food or other addictions. "Responsibly" only works if you have something in your life that provides balance, otherwise the addiction will always be a threat to you as you will always strife for the feeling of gratification (in this case when you receive the item you are gambling for). So the best way to approach this is to stay away from the costly RNG contents altogether, because you must stop feeding the need of feeling gratified by "shinies" (which, as mentioned in my previous response, you will likely end up never using anyway, so the feeling of gratification is a complete illusion).

[TheGrimm.5624]

First off, target activities that make you in game gold. Set a goal and convert that gold to gems as you go. Stack gems this way and wait for key sales. Buy only then but don't use those keys until there is something you want and can only acquire at the time. Don't just use your keys because you have them, be ok with just leaving them in your inventory. If you stack enough gems in this way there will be no reason to draw your credit card. If you want to buy keys with your CC then make sure its planned, aka choose to not buy something else and trade those sales for keys instead. If its still a problem, use your guildies to lend a hand in positive peer pressure. Find your friends that will apply pressure to you to say, is that a good idea? Do you really need that? Isn't this other thing similar?

[lare.5129]

don't see any problem. The money exist only for target to spent them. So do it.

[yann.1946]

@Ashantara.8731 said:

@"EmmetOtter.8542" said:And stop playing Gw2 and any other games you buy stuff like this until can approach it responsibly.

Gambling cannot be "approached responsibly." It's

always

deception based on sheer luck and manipulated chances. Many people have problems these days as life is getting more difficult on so many levels, and they seek refuge from reality in games/gambling, food or other addictions. "Responsibly" only works if you have something in your life that provides balance, otherwise the addiction will always be a threat to you as you will always strife for the feeling of gratification (in this case when you receive the item you are gambling for). So the best way to approach this is to stay away from the costly RNG contents altogether, because you must stop feeding the need of feeling gratified by "shinies" (which, as mentioned in my previous response, you will likely end up never using anyway, so the feeling of gratification is a complete illusion).

Gambling can be Done responsibly. If you set a limit at the beginning and gamble for gambling sake. Not to get a specific item.

For the op.

You should go see a therapist.Contact support and tell them you have a gambling problem and ask to block all rng items for you.

[Algreg.3629]

File for guardianship for yourself.

[Konrad Curze.5130]

Gaming nowadays is all about extorting as much money as possible from people with gambling addictions using predatory tactics

[Ashantara.8731]

@yann.1946 said:Gambling can be Done responsibly.

Not when you're addicted, then there is only one way, as I stated before: to stay away from it.

[Justine.6351]

@"Ashantara.8731" said:Each time you feel the urge to gamble, just ask yourself: "Do I really need this skin/item?" Because in most cases you don't, you won't ever use it, it's a waste to even try.

Some one link him the black wings vid.

rofl found it,

[miraude.2107]

When I see a new skin, I don't say what I like about it. I pick it apart.compared to

Feathers being one of my favorite gliders comparing it to that I'm going, okay, no colored flight trails? Dye channels look weak. Stupid tiny detail that I'd never see while gliding. Looks big on a human so will it have wonky scaling on asura/charr/norn? Does it make any noise (like the Dragon Fireworks Glider makes fireworks sounds) that will be annoying to hear on long glides? Will it be visually impairing while gliding down? Etc.

Break it down like you would buying a computer/car/etc. If you are finding yourself going uhm, yeah, well, but and not having a solid on it, it's just not worth it. And imo, it's an ugly skin, watchwork made me think of, you know, watchwork, steampunkish wings with metal feathers and more than a few gears, smokish contrails coming off it or having like the watchwork chains from the twisted marrionette coming off you making it look like you're a puppet while gliding...not feathers that look like they were jammed into pieces of metal and a lackluster amount of gears. The god backpacks like Relic of Lyssa and that are more watchwork than this glider.

[Acheron.4731]

@"asterix.9614" said:So basically I try to get the new rng item from the black lion chest nearly all the time. I need to completely stop doing this, how do I stop myself? Just wasted £70 and 200 gold buying black lion keys to try to get the watchwork wings and I ended up with a kitten ton of kitten and 1 shifting sand staff and NO watchwork wings. I have spent hundred of pounds doing this before for other rng items that I don't even end up using :s Anyway help me please! How do you stop yourself?

Just remember....nobody cares what you look like, but you.Then ask yourself...do i really care "That Much"?

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

Different people react differently to the same circumstances. (Even twins and other siblings.) Some aren't tempted by gambling at all, some are too risk averse to try, some love the momentary thrill of anticipation.

And some people have trouble resisting, some to the point of addiction (although that's more rare than implied by some posters across the internet).

If you're in the last camp, don't try to figure it alone. Get help, whether professional, religious, familial, or from friends. Strangers, such as those of us posting in the forums, aren't going to be able to help. There is no amount of rational explanation that will be sufficient; it's some combination of emotional or chemical components, and you'd have to tackle those, with help.

---

From a strictly financial standpoint, I find myself tempted sometimes, despite my knowing (and publishing the odds). This time around, I really wanted the MountFit and had saved up a dozen BL keys. Nothing. I farmed another dozen. No luck there.And so I was tempted to ... buy a few (not with my own money, of course; just with gold-converted-to-gems).

What stopped me is knowing two things:

• There's no guarantee. I could be the one person who opens 300 chests without the drop I want.
• If I was going to spend US$1-2 on a gamble, I'd much rather spend it on a SuperLotto or Powerball ticket: at least then, instead of imagining myself with a shiny GW2 skin (and not getting it), I can pretend I might become a multi-millionaire.

[Luthan.5236]

Problem is: Some people want to get everything. (Completion.) I noticed this when I played from release until end of 2013. Now when I returnd after a looooong break in June 2019 I realized there were exclusive things (Hero of Lion's Arch title for example) that I could not get anymore. So it isn't really a big deal to me anymore to complete everything. Feels more relaxed trying to catch up at my own pace. (I still try to aim to do most available stuff except raids/fractals/dungeons.)

As for the skins for gems: Always seemed to expensive to me. Going for everything there and GW2 would be more expensive than subscription based MMORPGs I guess. Best option probably is to try the safe way. I heard some people bought tons of char slots for the birthday gifts. And afaik (according to wiki) the later years it gives statuettes. Imagine a maxed account with char slots at cap. (60-70 or something is max?) - then after 6 years (I think 6 years present per char first that gives statuettes) it is a lot of statuettes - you can trade for the wardrobe unlocks. Also try to manage the other stuff you might win in a most efficient way. (Might be stuff that could be sold on TP ... trying to sell expensive ones, buying cheap ones - as long as expensive ones are able to be unlocked with those wardrobe unlocks. I haven't really researchec taht much on them. Not important to me yet. Probably won't be important to me soon or at all. I prefer most free/earned skins.)

[yann.1946]

@Ashantara.8731 said:

@yann.1946 said:Gambling can be Done responsibly.

Not when you're addicted, then there is only one way, as I stated before: to stay away from it.

Sure, not when you addicted. But you made a blanketstament in the post I responded to that gambling can't be done responsibly.

While what is true is that being addicted can't be done responsible.

[Danikat.8537]

If you think it would work you could set a limit for how much you're willing to spend on keys in any given period of time and stick to that. It might help to remember that you will get statuettes and can use those to get the items you really want later on.

If that's not going to work then I think the only answer will be to completely stop buying keys and teach yourself to ignore the exclusive items, which may require help. If you think it's necessary I absolutely agree with the idea to talk to a therapist.

@Ashantara.8731 said:

@"yann.1946" said:Gambling can be Done responsibly.

Not when you're addicted, then there is only one way, as I stated before: to stay away from it.

Agreed. It's like anything, most people might be able to just do a little bit, but when someone gets addicted that's no longer an option.

I'm sure some people are thinking black lion keys can't be addictive because it's 'not really' gambling, but anything can be addictive for the right (or wrong) person. I have a friend with a very addictive personality whose most recent problem was cable news shows. He wanted to make sure he was getting a balanced perspective but in his mind that quickly became "I should watch as much news as possible" and he's in the USA so there's a lot to choose from. Admittedly that won't kill you so it's arguably an improvement over his previous addictions, but it's still not healthy.

Black lion keys are similar - it won't kill you and it seems unlikely it would bankrupt someone but it can still easily reach a point where it's not good for you. It would be really easy to end up spending far more than you wanted to, or should, trying for a rare item and using all kinds of excuses to justify it to yourself, whilst causing yourself a lot of stress worrying about not getting it.

[Traveller.7496]

This is the reason why people oppose lootboxes. It's a totally different thing when you can just buy the item you want instead of buying into random chance. Yet there still are people defending ANet for doing it because they need revenue, which is sickening seeing how much harm it causes.

Here's to hoping more legislation moves to ban lootboxes in the future too.